Auntie Who Pretended to Lose Passport to Avoid Babysitting Has No Regrets

A teenager who faked losing her passport to get out of a family vacation to Disneyland is being backed online.

Since age 12, Reddit user u/No_Writing9686 says she's been expected to babysit her older sister's children on demand.

"At first it was okay because she was newborn and not a fussy baby," the 17-year-old told Newsweek of her sister's first child. "But now there are two and they require a lot of attention."

Describing herself as an "unpaid nanny" for the past five years, the teen has been expected to drop everything when her 28-year-old sister comes to visit. She would be forced to watch the children for up to a week at a time, despite being just a kid herself.

Worried woman searching bag at the airport
Stock photo of a woman searching her bag at the airport. A teen on Reddit said that she'd lost her passport to get out of a trip where she was expected to babysit. nicoletaionescu/iStock/Getty Images Plus

"My sister is a good parent but my niece and nephew are in daycare all week long so [she] and my BIL only see them at night and on the weekends," she said. "I think my mom and sister just expect me to enjoy it."

The Redditor is about to graduate high school, and to celebrate, her mom and dad organized a trip to Disneyland. They told No_Writing9686 it would just be the three of them, but when they arrived at the airport, her sister and her kids were there waiting.

"Strangely enough they were also going to Disneyland," she said. "I went into my backpack and grabbed my passport. I put it in my sock."

When they got to airport security, she pretended to frantically search for her passport. When it couldn't be found, she missed the flight and took an Uber home.

"I loved having the house to myself," she said. "I have played a lot of [The Legend of Zelda] and spent time with friends."

Stressed teenage girl babysitting a rowdy child
A stock photo of a stressed teenage girl babysitting a rowdy child. The Reddit poster has been expected to be an "unpaid nanny" since she was 12 years old. Hakase_/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Although the ruse fooled her mom and sister, her dad knew the passport went missing on purpose.

"He knows why I did and he understands," she said. "I feel bad about wasting money but I have been to Disneyland before and I will go again later."

While on vacation, No_Writing9686's mom and sister posted to social media, complaining about how tough it is to travel with two small children.

"They both posted that I ruined the vacation by being so thoughtless," she said. "They have money [to pay someone]. I'm just easy to access I guess."

The teen shared her story to Reddit's Am I the A****** (AITA) community, where her ploy was praised by fellow users. They voted her "NTA" or "Not the A******" in the situation, with the post receiving over 32,000 upvotes.

"They ruined their own vacation for being liars and trying to use you," commented CharliAP. FeedbackCreative8334 agreed, writing, "They tried to trick you into something unpleasant and it blew up in their faces."

"Was going to Disneyland for *your* graduation even your idea? Or was it some kind of way for your sister to take her kids when she could have free babysitting?" asked commenter sorahatch.

A teenage girl listening to music
A stock photo of a teenage girl listening to music on her bed. The teen Redditor got to enjoy a week to herself at home while her sister fumed at Disneyland. insta_photos/iStock/Getty Images Plus

"The trip was for the sister 100%," wrote indecisive_monkey. Redditor FayestOfThemAll wrote: "I'm wondering if OP is going to college so therefore this trip 'for their graduation' was actually just their last chance for a trip babysitter."

Many users also slammed the poster's father for not standing up for her, and allowing her to be used as a free babysitter for so long.

"He said he knew why she faked out, which means he's been thinking about things and looking at the free babysitter situation for quite some time and part of him knew it was very wrong," said Affectionate_Lie9308.

"100%," agreed CatWyld. "He was more than happy to say nothing to the others about the unethical exploiting of a family member."

However, No_Writing9686 clarified that her dad didn't know the sister was planning to tag along, and that the decision has caused a rift between her parents.

"They had plans to go shopping and stuff while my dad, BIL, and I took the kids to Disneyland," she said. "My dad noped out so my mom, BIL, and sister have had to take care of them with no help."

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Uncommon Knowledge

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About the writer


Sophie is a Newsweek Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in Lincoln, UK. Her focus is reporting on film and ... Read more

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